The Indianapolis journal., 1887-05-16

beyond measure when going from one floor to
the other if they must suffer delay of few
seconds to accom- N odate one of the common
herd" while the Representative is continually
going about with constituents and their extra
elevator Is TO be used. as also the old one. to lift
all classes. Hereafter 1t will not be necessary
for Senator's to have personal electric bel-call
when they approach the elevator and desire IT'S
immediate and exclusive They wil by
general and open arrangement, have its
elusive and immediate USE
The corridors about the document rooms Of
both houses are to-day piled high with docu-
ments. There are fully three car loads of docu-
ments sacked. addressed and heaped up ready
for the mails. while not half of them have been
gotten out The bound copies of the Congress
sional Record have not yet been prepared and
sent up from the Government Printing Office.
When they are ready there will be more car
loads of documents to mail. These are the most
voluminous documents sent out from Congress.
not even excepting the agricultural reports,
which fill several mail cars Most of the docu-
ments being shipped out to-day the laws cf
the last Congress. Each Senator and Repre-
sentative gets bound copy for himself and
some IN bound copies for constituents. All the
lawyers want them. yet very few can get them.
New carpets will be put in the committee
rooms of both the Senate and House. and also
on the floors of the two halls of these houses
The Senate chamber usually gets the most deli
cate colors, while the hall of the House of Rep
resentatives is commonly covered by fashy or
bright colors. 1t costs several thousand dollars
to carpet the halls and committee rooms the
Capitol every two years. which is always done.
The carpets on the floors of the two houses are
always we'll when taken ND, but those in
some of the committee-rooms are in good order.
The old carpets sold at auction to the
secondhand deaers-when not picked up by
employees. just now there is a barrenness about
the Capitol. The floors everywhere bare.
Chairs are piled up. and with desks and cuspi-
dores make confusion. The goods put
down the last thing before Congress convenes,
80 as to present cheerful appearance
The Offices of the officers of the two houses
open about three hours day now. Those most
freouented are the Sereeants-at-arms'. where sal
aries paid. The lawmakers and employees
out of the city got their money by drafts mailed
them The postoffices open. but principally
for the purpose of forwarding mail and receiving
documents. Only half dozen Senators and
about twice many Representatives are in the
city.
Entering the Capitol at this time, one sees, on
the lower floors. where nearly all work at this
time is DONE few pushing trucks with
rubber-covered wheels silently about carrying
documents in and out of the building a very few
clerks in the docume n t-rooms and postofices;
the establishment of the pie woman, with the
attendant doing crocneting; and the policemen
at the doors, reposing on high backed chairs
On the floors where the two houses are located
he will see a telegraph Office open; the empty
halls of the two houses. and the congressional
an occasional messenger with message to an
officer of the place But he will hear scarcely
word spoken or audible sound of any kind.